


“Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. ”  ― Edna St. Vincent Millay

by notjustmom



Series: Ironstrange [11]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Established Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 06:27:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16989747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: Today marks 6 years after the Sandy Hook Shooting... in the US, we are no closer to finding a solution to this crisis of violence in our country, in fact it has become worse over these last years. Please think of the lives lost, and those who survived who still suffer from the aftershocks from this tragedy.





	“Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. ”  ― Edna St. Vincent Millay

"Peter?"

"Dad?"

"Thought you might be up here." Tony sat down next to him on the roof and looked up at the stars, and waited for his son to begin.

"How? I mean, why - is it worth it? The things you've done, all those people down there - we can't protect, or save even a tiny percentage of them -" Peter shrugged and peeled off his mask, and tried to wipe away the tears before his father could see them.

"You want to know how I keep doing it?" Tony asked quietly.

Peter nodded.

"I think of my friends and family who I've lost to violence, the friends who have been hurt by violence, and been changed forever by it, I do it for them, in honor of them. I keep doing it so one day, you won't have to. I do it because I have hope, even on the worst days that people can be better, do better than they have in the past. But mostly, I do it for you and Stephen. For my family."

"Aren't there days when you just want to give up?" Peter whispered.

Tony draped his arm around his son and pulled him close. "Absolutely. But then I come home and find you and Stephen watching an old movie, or making dinner together, or fast asleep on the couch next to each other, and I know, I know that for another day, I have been able to keep both of you safe. And I am reminded how lucky I am, so the next day I get up and keep going. I put my hope and my love for you and Stephen up against all the crap and ugliness out there, and I believe one day, it will be enough."

"You still believe that?"

"Have to, kiddo."

"What do you do when it's hard to believe, Dad?"

Tony kissed his hair and held him tighter. "On the worst days, I take off the armor and find you, you're usually asleep, so I'll just sit in that rocking chair in your room and listen to you mumble in your sleep. After a minute or two, I'm able to catch my breath, and the world is still and at peace for that moment."

"And that's enough?" Peter shook his head in disbelief.

"Yeah, kiddo, it is." 

Peter closed his eyes and let the tears fall silently on his father's shoulder, for a few minutes, then cleared his throat and asked hoarsely, "does ice cream work sometimes?"

"Yeah, Pete, sometimes ice cream works too. I picked some up on my way home."

"Not that hazelnut stuff." Tony snorted at the face Peter made.

"Nope. Mint Chip."

"The green kind?"

"What other kind is there?" Tony stood up, then offered Peter his hand and helped him to his feet. "You are never going to think you're doing enough, but you are, Pete. Even as strong and as fast and as smart as you are, there will be days when it just goes bad. On those days, you find something, or someone that makes it all worth it and you hold on tight to them - hey!" He yelped as Peter wrapped his arms around his father and held on tightly for a long moment, then let go.

"Love you, Dad."

"Yeah, kiddo, love you, too. Ice cream?"

"Ice cream."


End file.
